Closing bar will ‘fight’ to remain

A bar in Batley earmarked for closure because of a series of violent incidents claims the actions have been ‘blown out of all proportion’.

Kirklees Council took a decision to revoke Le Choix’s licence after police told a licensing panel this week of a number of violent clashes at the Bradford Road venue in recent months.

This included a clash in September in which three women were assaulted with one needing hospital treatment.

Less than a month later a 22-year-old man suffered a fractured skull in the bar after being attacked from behind.

The panel also described the management of the nightspot as ‘questionable’, after hearing that the owner had run it for over a year without a designated premises supervisor (DPS)

It was also heard that the owner admitted not knowing the opening times and if they differed from the permitted alcohol sales times.

The report presented at the panel meeting read: “Over the past few months Le Choix Bar has demonstrated that both the current and previous management, owners and DPS are not fit for purpose, having continually breached its premise licence operating times and conditions.”

But in a defiant stance, the club posted a message on Facebook, saying they are not going to accept the decision.

It reads: “We are still open until our appeal has been heard which can take a while.

“As for the vexatious actions that police took, they have blown the whole thing out of proportion.

“It’s a family-run business that has been trading for close to 10 years.